Ava continued to sob as the car sped toward the hospital. She clutched Atlas’s shirt, afraid he would disappear if she let go. She gazed at him and could hardly breathe from crying so much.

I felt my heart shatter as her cries rendered me speechless. My daughter had always been well-behaved and had never cried so hard before. She kept shaking her head and repeating, “No!” no matter how much I tried to comfort her.

Atlas held her and assured her, “I’m here now, so you don’t need to be afraid anymore. Ava, look at me. I won’t let you go, okay?”

I was in disbelief at the usually commanding Atlas being so tender and protective toward my daughter. Although I was there, he showed no intention of letting her go. Instead, he continued to soothe and hold her.

His usually indifferent expression now bore a look of fatherly love. It filled me with gratitude and a sense of security.

My daughter hadn’t felt a dad’s love for so long, making me feel guilty. However, Atlas filled that gap in her h